--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I seem to have dodged all my days with…" description: "\"I seem to have dodged all my days with one or two persons, and lived upon expectation,--as if the bud would surely blossom; and soI am content to live...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/henry-david-thoreau-20_bud_i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-o_496472.jpg" --- # I seem to have dodged all my days with one or two persons… ![“I seem to have dodged all my days with one or two persons, and lived upon expectation,--as if the bud would surely blossom; and soI am content to live.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/henry-david-thoreau-20_bud_i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-o_496472.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/henry-david-thoreau-20_bud_i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-o_496472.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/henry-david-thoreau-20_bud_i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-o_496472.jpg) > “I seem to have dodged all my days with one or two persons, and lived upon expectation,--as if the bud would surely blossom; and soI am content to live.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding contentment in simple expectations and expectations reflects a quiet acceptance of life's natural pace. **In simple terms:** Simple expectations bring peace and contentment. Key Takeaway Cultivate simple, realistic expectations. Themes contentment simplicity acceptance Mood peaceful contemplative Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - personal reflection - nature walks Key Concepts transcendentalism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - What simple expectations guide your life? - How do you balance contentment with aspiration? A Different Perspective It may ignore ambition or desire for growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimism/) ## Related quotes > [Let a man take time enough for the most trivial deed, though it be but the paring of his nails. The buds swell imperceptibly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/let-a-man-take-time-enough-for-the-most-trivial-deed-though-it-be-but/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The life of a good man will hardly improve us more than the life of a freebooter, for the inevitable laws appear as plainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-life-of-a-good-man-will-hardly-improve-us-more-than-the-life-of-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Who would deduce the dragonfly from the larva, the iris from the bud, the lawyer from the infant? ...We are all shape-shifters and magical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/who-would-deduce-the-dragonfly-from-the-larva-the-iris-from-the-bud/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [One day I shall burst my bud of calm and blossom into hysteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/one-day-i-shall-burst-my-bud-of-calm-and-blossom-into-hysteria/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [Each bud flowers but once and each flower has but its minute of perfect beauty; so, in the garden of the soul each feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/each-bud-flowers-but-once-and-each-flower-has-but-its-minute-of/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [Divine love is a sacred flower, which in its early bud is happiness, and in its full bloom is heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hervey/divine-love-is-a-sacred-flower-which-in-its-early-bud-is-happiness/) [James Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hervey/) > [Marmalade in the morning has the same effect on taste buds that a cold shower has on the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanine-larmoth/marmalade-in-the-morning-has-the-same-effect-on-taste-buds-that-a/) Jeanine Larmoth > [But buds will be roses, and kittens, cats - more's the pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/but-buds-will-be-roses-and-kittens-cats-more-s-the-pity/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [If we cut open the bud of a beautiful rose in order to see how it is 'packed' and what it is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gardner/if-we-cut-open-the-bud-of-a-beautiful-rose-in-order-to-see-how-it-is/) [Ian Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gardner/) > [I still do a bit of this and a bit of that. Some brews and there's nothing wrong with a bud or two!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-money/i-still-do-a-bit-of-this-and-a-bit-of-that-some-brews-and-there-s/) [Eddie Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-money/) > [A rhododendron bud lavender-tipped. Soon a glory of blooms to clash with the cardinals and gladden the hummingbirds!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-beard/a-rhododendron-bud-lavender-tipped-soon-a-glory-of-blooms-to-clash/) [Dave Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-beard/) > [The donning of the ear buds marks the beginning of teen life, when children set off on their own for the passage through adolescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/the-donning-of-the-ear-buds-marks-the-beginning-of-teen-life-when/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [Slow buds the pink dawn like a rose From out night's gray and cloudy sheath; Softly and still it grows and grows, Petal by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/slow-buds-the-pink-dawn-like-a-rose-from-out-night-s-gray-and-cloudy/) [Sarah Chauncey Woolsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/) > [The main thing about money is that it makes you do things you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-holbrook/the-main-thing-about-money-is-that-it-makes-you-do-things-you-don-t/) [Hal Holbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-holbrook/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Bud quotes > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [The main thing about money is that it makes you do things you don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-holbrook/the-main-thing-about-money-is-that-it-makes-you-do-things-you-don-t/) [Hal Holbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-holbrook/) > [Slow buds the pink dawn like a rose From out night's gray and cloudy sheath; Softly and still it grows and grows, Petal by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/slow-buds-the-pink-dawn-like-a-rose-from-out-night-s-gray-and-cloudy/) [Sarah Chauncey Woolsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-chauncey-woolsey/) > [The donning of the ear buds marks the beginning of teen life, when children set off on their own for the passage through adolescence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/the-donning-of-the-ear-buds-marks-the-beginning-of-teen-life-when/) [Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/) > [A rhododendron bud lavender-tipped. Soon a glory of blooms to clash with the cardinals and gladden the hummingbirds!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-beard/a-rhododendron-bud-lavender-tipped-soon-a-glory-of-blooms-to-clash/) [Dave Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-beard/) > [I still do a bit of this and a bit of that. Some brews and there's nothing wrong with a bud or two!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-money/i-still-do-a-bit-of-this-and-a-bit-of-that-some-brews-and-there-s/) [Eddie Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-money/) > [If we cut open the bud of a beautiful rose in order to see how it is 'packed' and what it is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-gardner/if-we-cut-open-the-bud-of-a-beautiful-rose-in-order-to-see-how-it-is/) [Ian Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-gardner/) > [But buds will be roses, and kittens, cats - more's the pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/but-buds-will-be-roses-and-kittens-cats-more-s-the-pity/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Marmalade in the morning has the same effect on taste buds that a cold shower has on the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanine-larmoth/marmalade-in-the-morning-has-the-same-effect-on-taste-buds-that-a/) Jeanine Larmoth > [Divine love is a sacred flower, which in its early bud is happiness, and in its full bloom is heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hervey/divine-love-is-a-sacred-flower-which-in-its-early-bud-is-happiness/) [James Hervey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hervey/) > [Each bud flowers but once and each flower has but its minute of perfect beauty; so, in the garden of the soul each feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-frederic-amiel/each-bud-flowers-but-once-and-each-flower-has-but-its-minute-of/) [Henri Frederic Amiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-frederic-amiel/) > [One day I shall burst my bud of calm and blossom into hysteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/one-day-i-shall-burst-my-bud-of-calm-and-blossom-into-hysteria/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [Who would deduce the dragonfly from the larva, the iris from the bud, the lawyer from the infant? ...We are all shape-shifters and magical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ackerman/who-would-deduce-the-dragonfly-from-the-larva-the-iris-from-the-bud/) [Diane Ackerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ackerman/) > [The American Beauty Rose can be produced in the splendor and fragrance which bring cheer to its beholder only by sacrificing the early buds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/the-american-beauty-rose-can-be-produced-in-the-splendor-and/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [Perseverance gives power to weakness, and opens to poverty the world's wealth. It spreads fertility over the barren landscape, and buds the choicest flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-griswold-goodrich/perseverance-gives-power-to-weakness-and-opens-to-poverty-the-world-s/) Samuel Griswold Goodrich Browse all 340 Bud quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I seem to have dodged all my days with one or two persons, and lived upon expectation,--as if the bud would surely blossom; and soI am content to live.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-one-or-two-persons-and-lived/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bud" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-one-or-two-persons-and-lived/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/henry-david-thoreau-20_bud_i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-o_496472.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/henry-david-thoreau-20_bud_i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-o_496472.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/808/henry-david-thoreau-20_bud_i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-o_496472.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I seem to have dodged all my days with one or two persons, and lived upon expectation,--as if the bud would…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I seem to have dodged all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-one-or-two-persons-and-lived/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-seem-to-have-dodged-all-my-days-with-one-or-two-persons-and-lived/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```